Flaherty Wines

This sounds elaborate, but it’s actually very quick—an easy, tasty preparation for fish fillets.The tamarind gives the curry a sweet-and-sour character that is nicely complemented by the heat of the curry paste. I used reineta (pomfret), but any thin white fish filets would work (such as flounder or red snapper). For the mango salsa, use a firm, semi-ripe mango, as a really ripe one would turn to mush. For the curry, be sure to use coconut milk, not the super-sweet coconut cream used for piña coladas. 

Coconut-tamarind curry with mango-ginger salsa

For the mango-ginger salsa:

1 mango
1 green onion, minced
1 teaspoon minced green chili pepper (ají cristal or serrano)
1 1/2 teaspoon grated or minced ginger
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon mint, finely chopped
Squeeze of lemon juice
Salt

Peel the mango, cut the flesh away from the pit, and chop into small chunks. Combine with all the remaining ingredients and season to taste with lemon and salt. Set aside while you prepare the curry. 

For the curry:

4 fish filets
1 can coconut milk (unshaken)
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
5 to 7 tablespoons tamarind puree
1 tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla)

Skim most of the thick coconut off the top of the can and heat it in a skillet. Add the shrimp paste and 1 teaspoon of the curry paste. Stir to dissolve the curry paste, then add the rest of the coconut milk, 5 tablespoons of the tamarind paste, and the fish sauce. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Taste and add more curry and tamarind as desired. To add additional curry, spoon the curry into a small bowl, add some of the coconut mixture, and stir or whisk to blend, then pour it into the curry sauce. Add the fish filets and simmer until cooked. If the filets are thin, this will only take a few minutes. Serve over rice in bowls, topped with the mango-ginger salsa.